Electric clock.



No. 637,454. Patented Nov. 2|, I899. F. l. GETTY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Sept. 28, 1898.;

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No. 637,454. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

F. I. GETTY. I

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

[Agplicgtion filed Sept. 26, 1898.) (Ne Modem 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 637,454. Patented Nov. 2|, i899. F. I. GETTY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Application filed Sap t. 2B, 1898. @No Model.) 4 Sheets$heot 3 No.637,454. Patented Nuv. 2|, I899. F. I. GETTY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

qApplicntion med Sept. 98, 1898. I W9 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

FRED I. GETTY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC ELECTRICCLOCK COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC CLOGK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,454, dated November21, 1899. Application filed September 26,1898. Serial No. 691,886. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED I. GETTY, of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Clocks,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric clocks,and more particularly to thatclass of independent clockswherein the power which aetuates the clockmechanism is furnished by weights and electricity is employed for thepurpose of lifting the Weights after their descent, and thus practicallyrewinding the clock.

The object of the invention is to produce a clock of superioraccuracycombined with simplicity of construction and a reduced expenditure ofelectrical energy; and to these ends the invention consists in certainnovel features which I will now proceed to describe and will thenparticularly point out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a clockembodying my invention, the door of the case being open. Fig. 2 is aside elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the clock mechanism proper, aportion of the dial being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation,on the same enlarged scale as Fig. 2, of the clock mechanism proper.Fig. 4 is a plan section taken on the line 4. 4.- of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is adetail sectional view, on astill larger scale, taken on the line 5 5 ofFig. 3. Fig. 6 is a similar View taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 andlooking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 7, a similar view takenon the line 7 7 of Fig. 5 and looking in the opposite direction, asindicated by the arrow at the top of said figure.

In the said drawings, 10 indicates the clockcase, which may be of anysuitable construction, and 11 an electric battery of any approved typemounted therein. -12 indicates the dial of the clock, which I prefer toconstruct of glass or other transparent material,

but which may be of any approved construction. 13 indicates a bracketorsupport upon which the clock mechanism proper is mounted and supportedand which in the present instance I have shown as depending from the topof the clock-case, to which it is secured by an enlarged head 14:. Thebody portion of this bracketis laterally offset, as indicated at 15 inFigs. 1 and 3, and in the space thus formed between the shoulders 16 ofthe bracket is mounted the frame 17, which supports the clockwork. 18represents the minute-hand shaft or arbor, which rotates once in an hourand which carries the minute-hand 19. This shaft is connected by theusual gearing to the hour-hand sleeve 20, carrying the hour-hand 21, andis also connected by a suitable train of gearing of any approved typewith the seconds-hand shaft 22, which carries the seconds-hand 23 and anescapement-wheel 24. 25 indicates the escape-lever, the arbor 26 ofwhich is connected by the arm 27 with the pendulum 28. All these partsmay be of any approved construction or any approved type of clock-trainmay be substituted therefor.

Upon the minute-hand shaft or arbor 13 are secured two ratchet-wheels 29and 30, and in the space between said ratchet-wheels, which areseparated a sufficient distance for the purpose, are mounted two levers31 and 32, provided with suitable actuating-weights at their outer ends.These levers are loosely mounted upon the shaft 18, and the lever 31 isprovided with a spring-pawl 33 to engage the ratehet-wheel29, while thelever 32 carries a similar spring-pawl 3et,'whieh engages theratchet-wheel 30. The ratchet-wheels 29 and are constructed, as shown indetail in the drawings, so as to have circular portions 69 interveningbetween the notches 70, with which the spring-pawls engage. The lever 31has a hub 35 and an enlarged disk-shaped portion 36 connected therewith,said diskshaped portion being for the greater portion of its body of aradius equal to or greater than the adjacent ratchet-wheel 29, but aportion of its periphery being cut away, as shown at 37, said cut-awayportion terminating in a cam-ineline 38, which connects the cut-awayportion 37 with the periphery of the body of the disk. The disk 36 isalso provided with a slot or groove 39, concentric with the disk andlying inward toward the center from the cut-away portion 37, with whichit is substantially coextensive. The lever 32 has a hub 40 and disk 41,similar to the hub and disk 35 and 36, the disk 41 having acut-awayportion 42, cam-ineline 43, and slot or groove 4 1-,

s es /A54 corresponding to the similar parts 37, 33, and 39 of the disk36.

45 indicates an electromagnet of any approved construction, having itscoils connected at one end with one terminal of the battery by a wire46, said magnet having its coils suitably insulated from the frame 17.The electromagnet 45 is provided with an armature 47, pivotally mountedin the frame above the poles of the electromagnet and having an arm 48extending upward on that side of the shaft 18 opposite the side on whichthe levers 31 and 32 are located. The arm 48 has pivoted to it a link49, which extends inward between the disk-shaped portions of the hubs ofthe levers 31 and 3.1, as indicated in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings.This link is provided at this point with a pin 50, which projects beyondthe link at each side thereof, one projecting end entering the slot 39,while the other projecting end enters the slot 44. The other end of thecoils of the electromagnet 45 is connected by a wire 51 with acontact-arm 52, supported on the frame 17 and suitably insulatedtherefrom by a block 5-) of insulating material. This contact-armcarries at its other extremity two contact-leaves 54 of a yielding orelastic material and having diverging ends to receive between them acontact-finger 55 on a contact-lever 56, pivoted on an axis 57,projecting from the frame 17. The lever 56 tends to engage its finger 55with the leaves or brush 54 by gravity; but in order to insure and givequickness to its operation I provide a spring 58 to aid in depressingsaid lever. This spring may be of any approved form, and, as shown, itconsists of a leaf-spring secured at one end to the moving end of thelever and having its other free end extended under a pin 59, projectingfrom the frame 1.7. Mounted on the axis 57 and connected to and movingin unison with the contact-lever 56 is a detent-lever 60, having a tooth61, which extends across and reaches upon the upper edges of the disks36 and 41 and the ratchet-wheels 29 and 30, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The contactlever 56 is in electrical connection with the terminal of thebattery opposite to that with which the electromagnet 45 is connected.This connection maybe effected in any suitable manner, andin theconstruction shown it is accomplished by having the lever 56 inelectrical connection with the frame 17 through the medium of its axis,while the said frame is connected with the proper terminal of thebattery 11 by means of a Wire 62.

A suitable stop is provided to limit the upward movement of the levers31 and 32, and for this purpose I have devised and prefer to employ theconstruction shown, in which the bracket 13 is provided with an arm 63,from which there projects in the path of the levers a pin or axis 64,having loosely mounted thereon a stop 65, comprising two arms 66 and 67,arranged at right angles to each other to form an open jaw, which isprovided with a cush ion 68 of cloth or other soft material. One of thearms 66 and 67 is made heavier than the other as, for instance, in theconstruction shown, by making the arm 66 of greater length than the arm67, so thatthe stop when free will always hang in such a position as topresent its open jaw to the terminal weights on the ends of the levers31 and The mechanism thus constructed operates in the following manner:The weighted levers 31 and 32 by means of the engagement of theirspring-pawls with the ratchet-wheels 29 and 30 impart a rotary movementto the shaft 18, which movement, being regulated by the escapement andpendulum, causes said shaft to make a complete rotation once in an hour,and thereby causes the clock to indicate the proper time upon the dial.lVhile the levers 31 and 32 operate simultaneously upon the clock-trainthroughout all of their movement, except for a brief instant, saidlevers are not arranged parallel to each other, but substantially at anangle of forty-five degrees, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, sothat when one of said levers shall have reached the limit of itsdownward motion the other lever will have about completed one-half ofits descent. When the lower lever-forinstance, the lever 32approachesthe downward limit of its motion, the tooth 61 of the detent-lever isriding upon the circular portions 69 of the ratchet-wheels 29 and 30 andis supported thereby, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, while the cut-awayportions 37 and 42 of the hubs of the actuating-levers lie beneath saidtooth and do not prevent its downward motion. .Vhen the tooth 61 passesclear of the circular portions 69 of the ratchet-wheels and drops intothe notches 70 thereof, it permits the detent-lever 60 and thecontact-arn'l 56 to drop and to make an electrical contact between thefinger 55 and the leaves 54, which completes or closes the circuit. Assoon as this contact is made the electromagnet 45 is energized and itsarmature 47 is attracted, causing a downward movement of the arm 48 andlink 49. The pin 50 then engages the upper end of the slot 44, andthereby rotates the disk 41 upon the shaft 18 and moves the lever 32quickly upward. This upward move ment of the lever brings thecam-incline 43 into contact with the tooth 61, and thereby raises thedetent-lever and contact-arm and breaks the circuit. This breaking ofthe circuit occurs when the lever 32 has accomplished about one-half ofits upward movement; but its momentum is sufficient to cause the leverto continue to move upward until it engages with the notch upon itsratchetwheel 30 above the notch corresponding to that of theratchet-wheel 29 with which the pawl of the lever 31 is engaged. Inother words, the lever is moved upward two notches at each upwardmovement and the battery-current is cut off at about one-half of thisupward movement, the momentum of ITO senate the lever serving tocomplete said movement. The stop by means of its cushion serves toarrest the lever should it tend to move too far upward. It will beobserved that during this upward movement of the lever 32 the lever 31has been continually acting upon the shaft 18 to cause it to rotate inthe proper direction, and thereby keep the movement of the clockmechanism normal and accurate. By reason of this action the upwardmotion of the lever 32 has no tendency to delay or move backward theshaft 18, and thereby retard the clock and cause it to lose time. XVhenthe lever 32 has reached its uppermost position, it reengages itsratchet-wheel in the manner thus described, and the two levers continueto operate in unison to drive the clock until the other lever 31. hasreached its lowest position. At this time the notches of the two ratchetand the cut-away portions of the two hubs or disks again coincide andthe detent-lever falls, permitting the contact-lever to make itscontact, and thereby close the circuit and energize the magnet. Themovement of the armature and the link connected thereto at this time hasno effect upon the lever 32, as the pin 50 moves freely in the slot 44thereof; but said pin engages with the end of the slot 39 in the disk orhub of the lever 31 and raises said lever in the manner described withrelation to the lever 32. The cam-incline 3S raises the detent-lever andbreaks the circuit in the manner already described in connection withthe cam-incline a3, and the lever 31 completes its upward movement byreason of its momentum.

It will thus be seen that at all times the clock mechanism is beingactuated byat least one of the weighted levers, and it results from thisthat there is no retardation of the said mechanism due to the ceasing ofthe impelling force or to the reverse movement imparted by the rewindingthereof, which retardation occurs Where only a single lever is used, asin such clocks as ordinarily constructed. it will be observed that thedrain upon the battery is extremely slight, as the contactis made onlyto be almost instantly broken and is not even continued during theentire upward. movement of the lever which is being raised, but is cutoff after a portion only of that movement is accomplished, relying uponmomentum to complete the same.

In the particular construction of clocks shown the battery is calledupon only eight times in an hour, and then only for a space of time sobrief as to be difficult of calculation, the contact being practicallyinstantaneous. Of course the number of times the arms are raised and thebattery called upon to accomplish this work may be varied bycorrespondingly varying the range of movement of the arms and the numberof notches in the ratchet-wheel.

It will be observed that the clock is exceedin g1 y simple inconstruction and composed of few working parts, so that the cost ofconstructing the same is comparatively small. The cost of operating isalso reduced to a minimum by reason ofthe very small call upon thebattery. Superior accuracy of the clock is obtained by reason of themovement of the two weighted arms, one of which is constantly actuatingthe clock mechanism, and thereby preventing any retardation during thewinding of the clock.

I claim- 1. In an independent electric clock, the combination, with adriven shaft or arbor of the clock-train, of two levers having pawl-andratchet connections with said arborto actuate the same by gravity, anelectromagnet having an armature operatively connected with said leversto alternately lift the same, an energizing-circuit for said magnet, andmeans for making and breaking said circuit at the termination of thedownward movement of each lever, substantially as described.

2. in an independent electric clock, the combination, with a drivenshaft or arbor of 7 the clock'train, of two weightedlevers havingpawl-and-ratchet connections with said arbor, said levers being soarranged that one has about half completed its descent when the other isat the beginning of its descent, an electromagnet having an armatureoperatively connected with said levers to alternately lift the same, anenergizing-circuit for said magnet, and means for making andbreakingsaid circuit at the termination of the downward movement of eachlever, substantially as described.

In an independent electric clock, the combination, with a driven shaftor arbor of the clock-train, of a ratchet-wheel secured thereon,the saidratchetwheel having notches in its periphery equal in number to thetimes the magnet is energized duringa single rotation of the said shaft,a weighted lever loosely mounted on said shaft and having a pawl tosuccessively engage each of the notches of said ratchet-wheel, anelectromagnet provided with an armature having a lost-motion connectionwith said lever to lift the same, an energizingcircuit for said magnet,means for closing said circuit at the termination of the downwardmovement of said levelyand means for breaking said circuit before thesaid lever reaches the limit of its upward movement, substantially asdescribed.

In an independent electric clock, the combination, with a driven shaftor arbor of the clock-train, of a ratchet-wheel mounted thereon andhaving its peripheryalternately circular and notched, a weighted leverloosely mounted on said arbor and having a hubdisk of a diameter equalto that of the ratchetwheel but partly cut away and terminating in acam-incline, an electromagnet having an armature operatively connectedwith said lever to lift the same, an energizing-circuit for said magnet,means for making and break ing said circuit, and a detent-lever bearingupon the peripheries of the ratchet-wheel an d hub-disk and connectedwith and controlling the circuit making and breaking means,substantially as described.

5. In an independent electric clock, the combination, with a drivenshaft or arbor of the clock-train,of two ratchet-wheels mounted thereon,two levers having slotted hub-disks loosely mounted on said arborbetween the ratchet-wheels, an electromagnet having a vibratingarmature, a link pivoted on said armature at one end and engaging theslots of the lever hub-disks at its other end, an energizing-circuit forthe magnet, and means for making and breaking said circuit at thetermination of the downward movement of each lever, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an independent electric clock, the combination,with a weightedactuating-lever, and means for imparting to said lever an upwardmovement with excess momentum, of a pivoted stop located in the path ofthe lever and comprising two arms at an angle to each other, the jawthus formed being cushioned, substantially as described.

7. In an independent electric clock, the combination, with a drivenshaft or arbor of the clock-train, of a ratchet-wheel connected withsaid shaft or arbor, an electromagnet, an energizing-circuit for themagnet,a weighted actuating-lever having a pawl engaging theratchet-wheel to rotate the same on the downward movement of the latter,an armature arranged in proximity to the electromagnet, a link pivotedto the armature and having a pin-and-slot connection with theactuating-lever, and a circuit maker and breaker actuated by thedescending weight to close the circuit after energizing theelectrolnagnet and thereby raising the weight, substantially asdescribed.

FRED I. GETTY.

\Vitnesses:

IRVINE MILLER, FREDERICK O. GOODWIN.

